South Bend Squeaks Past Hot Rods, 3-2
May 7, 2015 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
Bowling Green, Ky. - Behind 5.0 strong innings from starter Zach Hedges, South Bend (15-13) controlled Bowling Green (17-11) for much of the evening and held off several late comeback bids in downing the Hot Rods, 3-2, in front of 2,147 fans at Bowling Green Ballpark Thursday evening.
South Bend improved to 3-1 against Bowling Green this season after taking two of three from the Hot Rods from April 9 through 11 at Four Winds Field to open the campaign.
Bowling Green also saw the end of Jace Conrad's hitting streak at 16 games - tied for the second-longest in franchise history - after a 0-for-4 performance. The Lafayette, La. native still scored a run and stole two bases in the eighth in upping his total to 11 on the year, good for third-most in the Midwest League.
Hot Rods starter Henry Centeno ran into trouble over his brief 3.0 innings on the hill, but did strand the bases loaded in the first. However, when the Cubs put three on with no one out in the second, Charcer Burks hit the very next pitch on a line into centerfield to score Gioskar Amaya and Jeffrey Baez for the 2-0 advantage.
Centeno (1-1) gave up just those two runs on four hits, but struggled with his command in tying a career-high with four walks while fanning two in his first loss of the season.
Hedges experienced his only real threat after allowing three consecutive one-out singles in the bottom of the second to Justin Williams, Nick Ciuffo, and Coty Blanchard, which increased his hitting streak to eight straight while loading the sacks. However, Hedges induced an infield pop out from Mac James, and Cristian Toribio bounced into an inning-ending fielder's choice.
In picking up his first win since April 12, Hedges (2-1) gave up just three singles over 5.0 innings, while walking two and striking out a season-high four.
Jesse Hodges' leadoff double in the sixth against Hunter Wood resulted in a run on Rashad Crawford's sacrifice fly to Blanchard in foul territory in left, as the Cubs extended the advantage to 3-0.
Grant Kay cranked a one-out triple to deep left-centerfield off Cubs reliever Ryan McNeil and came plateward on Casey Gillaspie's sacrifice fly to the warning track in left, cutting the score to 3-1 Cubs.
Conrad willed Bowling Green to within 3-2 in the eighth, reaching on a one-out fielder's choice, stealing second and third on consecutive pitches against reliever Jordan Minch before coming home on Gillaspie's second sacrifice fly.
Bowling Green made one last charge in the ninth, when James was hit by a two-out, two-strike pitch from Minch to put the tying man on base. Closer James Farris was summoned from the bullpen and needed just one pitch to retire Toribio to finish the victory for his third save of the year.
Ciuffo had two of Bowling Green's six hits, while eight different Cubs had one hit each.
Game two of the three-game series, set for Friday at 7:05 p.m. CDT, features Hot Rods right-hander Chris Pike (3-1, 3.15) take to the firing line against Cubs right-hander Trevor Clifton (1-1, 2.70).
Midwest League Stories from May 7, 2015
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